Broken Promises
by whitechocomonkey
Summary: After a difficult journey, Yona and Hak came to face the source of their troubles, Soo-Won. However, he has long since escaped and the two are once again left to pick up the pieces of their broken world. Will they ever attain happiness when it seems so far away?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **I just finished rereading the manga, and remembered why I love it so much! As a hardcore HakxYona shipper, I couldn't resist writing this. This is my version of the aftermath of what would happen if the team met with Soo-Won again. Hope you enjoy.

Warning: Contains mention of characters that haven't been introduced to the anime.

She sat in silence, clutching her knees next to a small alcove of trees. Their branches draped over a pile of collapsing boulders, settled in a haphazard mound and puckered from the landslides and windstorms that afflicted these parts of the woods. It had been a long time since she had acclimated herself to sleeping outdoors under the milky moonlight to the hum of buzzing mosquitoes and rushing river currents, or gotten used to living through treacherous conditions.

The night froze over with the arrival of twilight, and she could hardly keep her fingers from shaking and turning a pale blue. Hak offered to keep the young princess warm, but she refused to rely on him, because she knew she would grow dependent on that warmth. There was little doubt she held that if he were to coddle her even through the long nights, she would soon require it, and she was already a burden.

Yona stared into the icy pond, and cursed her haggard reflection. Scars etched across her flushed cheeks, and bruises swelled along her shaking arms. All she saw was a pathetic, fragile little girl. Closing her eyes, she swiped a shivering hand across the crisp crystal surface and stirred the worn image. Visions of Hak flashed behind her lids, the dulled memories swirling in the darkness. She remembered the flurry of flesh and the screams that carried across the treetops and silenced the birds. Soo-Won was long gone into the clearing, but the thirst for blood in Hak's clouded slate grey eyes remained, as he fought desperately to catch him. Kija struggled to stop and calm him, but the Thunder Beast lived up to his infamous reputation and cut him down with little effort. Even Jae-Ha's attempts to bring him back to the crippling reality they faced had failed.

"Let me go!" he roared. "Let me kill him!"

"Hak." She placed a single, small hand on his. "That's enough."

His eyes bulged wide from his face unblinking, like a wild animal that had come face to face with death itself. And then, he fell to his knees. She had never seen him look so broken. This man who had teased her mercilessly through her childhood, and maintained his dismissive, apathetic humor throughout their dangerous journeys, was now ravaged and sobbing into the moistened earth, freshly damped from the coming rain as the sky cried with him. So much raw sorrow was painful to behold.

She folded over, to dip her hands and splash the crisp water in her face as she returned to the cold of the present. Another reflection flickered uncertainly behind hers, and she turned to see him. He had closed himself off once again, his arms crossed tightly against his broad chest and his face turned away, hardly daring to look at her.

"Princess." He addressed her quietly and sat several feet behind her, to keep watch but not so much as cause a disturbance. The sword was sheathed closely beside him, and he kept a cautious hand hovering atop the menacing weapon.

"Hak." She responded softly and held a delicate and gentle fingertip on his arm. He brushed it away quickly, and stared into the upturned dirt, mulling over the memory himself.

"I should have killed him. I had every opportunity." He drove the hilt of the sword deep into the earth, splitting the soil. "But I couldn't do it. I wouldn't. I knew I'd grown complacent." The blaze in his eyes from that day flashed once more. "I'm so weak."

"Wouldn't?" The words rolled off her tongue. She drew her hand back towards his, and rested it on his throbbing knuckles whitened from his tight grasp on the blade. His hand relaxed at her touch. "You aren't weak. It's not that you weren't able to kill Soo-Won. You chose not to. Isn't that right, Hak?" He froze in shock for a moment as he saw the wisdom of the former king reflected in his daughter's eyes. Pursing her lips, Yona held her breath for a moment and stared up at the stars. "I've wondered for a long time what I would do if I met again with Soo-Won. If I would exact my revenge, or attempt to reclaim my rightful place on the throne. But to be honest, I wouldn't do any of that. I belong here, protecting the people directly. And regardless of what he's done, Soo-Won's proved to be the king that Kouka deserves. The country needs him. You know that just as well as I do. It was the right choice."

"I will never acknowledge him," Hak spat venomously. "Soo-won killed King Il in cold blood. He's a liar and a murderer. He betrayed my trust. And he betrayed yours." He bowed his head in bitter silence. Clumps of wild grass waved in the softening breeze, and Yona ran her fingers through the mossy trails that clung to the masses of granite at her side. His following words were so quiet; the whispers were nearly lost in the wind. "He was still once my friend."

The whistle of the whirring air sang out into the night, and the birds responded with their own cheery tunes before retiring to their straw beds in the trees. He stared out into the distance through the curtains of shrubbery and continued. "I always thought that the three of us would continue that way. That we would always be together. That he would marry you and become the rightful king, and I would serve as both of your right hand for the rest of my days. He was the only one that I didn't mind losing you to. Because I knew he would take care of you, that he would make you happier than I ever could. I was so naive." Hak paused as the words sank deeper. "I've destroyed my impulses for you time and time again. And what was it for?" He trailed off, and listened to the chatter of crickets in the brush. Hak turned to face Yona and his gaze burned holes in her. He stroked her face with the side of his hand, his fingers tracing her jaw and to the nape of her thin pale neck. "I'm so tired of always holding back."

"Hak?" Yona murmured, as he leaned closer. His lips inched forward towards hers as his eyes slowly closed. Her body tensed for a moment, as a deep crimson raged through her blushing cheeks. She let her eyes flutter close as well as she anticipated the moment.

"Just kidding." He grinned, and flicked her nose. He leaned back onto his elbows and sighed. A shadow danced across his brow as his eyes deadened. "I'm only rambling. Just forget it."

"Don't do that," she sputtered. "Don't pass it off as a joke." Her voice cracked with a strange rush of emotion that was foreign to Hak, at least when it came to their relationship. He was accustomed to shouted insults and rebuttals to his own affectionate mocking. This honesty seemed to be reserved only for moonlit nights beneath a blanket of stars and muddy blotches of silver galaxies.

"Princess?" His own tone was hoarse as he felt the space between them grow thick and heavy. He reached out to touch her, but hesitated. Their skin seemed to repel and draw the other simultaneously.

"Could you call me Yona?" she asked, and pulled a handful of dirt from the ground and let it sift through her fingers.

"But-" he began to protest, but she clasped his hands. He felt her fingers intertwine with his own and a shiver ran down his back.

"Just for tonight. Tomorrow, I guess everything will be back to normal. But tonight I want to be Yona. Maybe it's a selfish wish, but right now I don't want to be the lost princess or the escaped daughter of King Il. I just want to be another person sitting beside you, and pretend that things are peaceful for one second. That things are normal." She stared back into the sky, and tightened her grip on his hand with a soft saddened smile. "But I suppose it's a ridiculous idea." She carved patterns on his rough callused palms. "It's just as Ik-Soo said. My destiny will be a difficult path to walk if I live on. Normality is a thing of the past." She let the idea fester before venturing to another brighter topic. A crooked grin pulled at the corners of her lips. "But it's funny remembering those days. You know, in the past, when we'd roam the palace together. And my biggest problem was taming this impossibly wild hair. You'd tease me for being so vain. And Soo-Won would-"

Her voice faded abruptly at the sound of his name on her tongue and he knew what she was thinking of. That man would easily compliment her hair and compare it to the rising sun, and she'd hang on his every word like the words were oozing lumps of caramel.

"He thought your hair was beautiful,'" Hak finished for her emotionlessly, and her face flushed at the mere fleeting remembrance as if she were still in the palace fussing over her unruly crimson locks with a broken comb, teeth missing from vicious strokes through disobedient tangles. Bitterness quickly replaced the emotion as the memory completed itself, and she took in her surroundings and recalled what brought them there.

"He would be the only one." Yona chuckled bitterly and studied the backdrop and how the trees silhouetted the horizon. It looked like a painting she'd once seen atop polished marble walls next to golden threaded tapestries that depicted legends of all ages. She would probably never see any of it again.

"No, he wouldn't," Hak murmured, and followed her gaze silently. He might not have been able to speak such tender words as easily as Soo-Won, but that didn't prevent them from constantly living in his thoughts and in the unnoticed looks he cast at her from across the palace grounds.

She let the words go unnoticed, and stared at the ground, too lost in the memories to return to the world. Her hand drew away from his and raked through her hair in slow circles. Her hair, which was now cropped short and filthy, caked with mud and threaded with broken twigs and leaves. "He said it looked like the dawning sky." Her eyes glazed over beneath the glow of light pouring from the stars.

"I don't see it," Hak stated bluntly as he crossed his arms once more. Yona attempted to shoot him a sarcastic glare from the corner of her tired bloodshot eyes, but could hardly muster the energy. A pile of pebbles came undone and tumbled to the ground as he shifted his position to find one more comfortable. He closed his eyes and took in the atmosphere. "To me, it looks more like a fiery, red star. One that shines brightly in a sea of darkness. That guides and watches over the people with a dazzling brilliance." Leaning over, he rested his forehead on her shoulder." I'll probably follow that star till the day I die."

"Well you're not going to die anytime soon." She avoided the very thought of it, and bowed her head down to hide the water in her eyes from mere consideration. "I won't let you."

"Would you cry if I were gone?" He grinned, and lifted a lock of hair to see the beautiful face veiled beneath it. He narrowed the space between their noses in mischievous flirtation. He braced himself for her to call him stupid or an idiot or another default insult that came from his teasing, but she looked up at him boldly. Her eyes were still swollen, though he couldn't tell if it was from crying or sleep deprivation from their encounter with Soo-Won.

"Of course I would," she responded and squeezed both hands against his cheeks with a pout. It faded quickly and was replaced by a strong and reflective glimmer in her eye. "You're important to me. I need you by my side." Her hands softened and her thumbs drew tender circles on his stubbled skin. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

The attack took him by surprise, as he felt the blood boil in his veins. He didn't even stop another second to think as he closed the short distance between them and took hold of her. At first it was gentle, as if he didn't want to grip too hard because she would break. He drew away and looked at her supple damp lips, parted with expectation as her eyes glittered from the crumbs of moonlight that fell through the trees.

"Yona," he whispered.

They both pulled back to each other in a new desperation. Their lips crushed together passionately as he pried hers further apart with his tongue, flicking anxiously against her teeth. Her arms searched for the ground as her fingers tightened, ripping blades of dewdrop-speckled grass out of the soil, fire bubbling underneath her skin. Hak gently combed through her hair with a broad palm. He trailed his palms down to her waist and gripped it firmly as he pushed her to the ground and she wrapped her arms around his back. Several rough fingers slipped beneath her cloak in search of bare skin and she moaned.

Reality hit with striking intensity as the image of King Il flashed in Hak's mind. The kind king that had asked him to protect the princess no matter the cost. His fist clenched and fell to his side, as he wrenched at his hair with the other hand and groaned.

"What am I doing?" He buried his head into his knuckles.

"What's wrong?" She asked inquisitively and stroked the side of his face between soft pants.

"I'm sorry." He pressed his hand onto hers and held it for a moment before removing it with a sigh. "We shouldn't be doing this."

"Ah." She furrowed her brow and a strange pang swirled through her stomach. A thousand thoughts pressed against her brain as she struggled to sift through them. The wind gurgled a cry through the trees as their branches violently churned. Her resolve cemented silently as she tried to force a smile, but it came out twisted. "You're right. How could I be so foolish?" Her eyes teared but she pushed it back with a false sense of composure. She didn't want to worry him anymore. "I can't forget who I am. Otherwise the memory of my father will disappear." The cracks in her voice stood out more than she wanted them to as she drew the invisible line before he had the chance. She quieted to a whisper, as she choked the words. "You can't forget either, Hak."

His body shook with each syllable as he watched her. There she was, the beautiful princess hunched in a shivering bundle. He reached out to touch her but caught himself. It would only be cruel. "I won't."

Hak lifted off the ground and his silhouette disappeared through the woods. She crumbled. The wind cried once more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **Hey, everybody. I'm back, avoiding school and obsessing over this pairing. Thanks again for reading!

"Listen up." Yoon pulled the map out of his pack, and rolled it out onto the ground. The camp rumbled softly with the sound of snoring, as he slammed his palm into the dirt to get a reaction. Sleeping bodies were strewn across the leafy floor and rustled softly at the noise. "There's a group of bandits coming that frequent this village. They take crops, livestock, and anything they can get their grubby hands on. The people there are really suffering. Well, I did my research and they're on their way tomorrow."

"That so," Jae-Ha grumbled as he pushed off the ground and blinked the crumbs of sleep out of his eyes.

"We should stop them," he pressed. "I couldn't find much else, but I've figured out the route they usually take, and if we're fast enough, we can intercept them right here." Yoon's finger took a nosedive to the paper and crinkled it on impact. "But we have to be quick about it. Soldiers are known to pass through these parts, and we don't want to draw too much attention. We already get enough as it is. Zeno says he's been here before and he can navigate pretty well, so we already have the advantage."

"That's right!" Zeno grinned broadly and stretched out his arms to the sky, breathing in the morning air. His energy was like an endless stream, undeterred by the pull of sleep and the chill away from the warm woolen layers in the dewy soil.

Yona grinned and brushed the dirt off her cloak as she stood up. "Then you can lead the way." Her smile faltered when she noticed the empty blanket nestled next to her tent. It was tipped with ash from the charred log fire they had thawed their fingers in the night before. Blackened wood still burned with a fading glow from lingering embers. A crow scattered from the trees above, breaking the deafening silence with an eerie cry. Her heart beat faster when she scanned the entire camp, and his absence struck even harder. "Where is Hak?"

"Hak? I think he went fishing with Kija," Yoon shrugged and rifled through his bag to find supplies for the pending attack.

She sat back on a broken stump and ran her fingers across her shivering arms. The morning was icy and unsympathetic. A gust thrashed the fabric of her tent and nearly ripped it from the ground. Another glance confirmed that he really was gone. She couldn't be sure whether she was disappointed or relieved. She hardly knew what she would've even said to him. She leaned back and stared into the sky. A mixture of pinks and oranges seemed to stretch on for miles, speckled with balls of drifting cotton cast with the dancing hues of sunrise. The image blurred together into black as she closed her eyes, and withdrew to the memories. Even still, she couldn't stop thinking about it. How it felt when their lips brushed. The heat of his hand when it pressed against her skin. And his tongue was so slippery. Her face exploded with red.

Everything flew through her brain at once, every kiss, every touch. She had barely gotten any sleep. With a groan, she slammed her palms across her cheeks to scrub off the color and wondered if he was as affected as she was. But it didn't matter. Shadows fell across her face as she remembered the words they shared when they parted. Nothing could happen between them. It was as unspoken as the moon's light sliding through the trees' arms with silent grace. The silver sphere hung low in the sky with the sun's arrival, readying to disappear once more behind the horizon. Her relationship with Hak was as painfully obvious as the fact that no night would last forever as much as she willed it. Another day would always come. She was a princess. And he was her servant. And Soo-Won was the man that had taken that from them and blurred that line. But no matter how blurred it was, it was still there.

A pile of fish slapped against the ground. He paused for only the slightest second, but it was enough for their eyes to meet. The heat in their gazes pulsated, as her lips parted to say something, but the moment passed. Hak lumbered on lazily with a fleeting nod as Kija stormed past and tossed his catch on top of the other pile with pride.

"Princess! Look how many more I caught." He grinned and cornered Yona with a sly grin. "You know how my abilities are far superior to that man's. You can always rely on me to protect you." Kija reached forward to clasp her hands but was halted by a menacing hand on his shoulder.

"You wish, White Snake." Hak dug his fingers deep into the skin, and grinned caustically. Kija spun to accept the challenge with his claws bared but missed the chance as Hak turned around and stalked off towards the campfire. He lowered to a crouch, and struck a stone to ignite a spark. After a few misfired attempts to relight the wood, he tossed in a couple more pieces and finally got a fire going big enough to cook their haul. "I was just distracted." He waved over Yoon to take it from there, and glanced mutedly back for a second. Yona felt Hak's eyes wash over her and shuddered. So, she wasn't the only one affected. He turned back towards Yoon and slumped over beneath the shade of a gnarled oak tree, burying his chin in his knuckles. "What's the update on those bandits you've been tracking?"

"They're close. We should strike tomorrow soon as the sun's up." Yoon skewered the fish and let the flames lap hungrily at the singed fleshy meat. Shin-Ah watched silently as his hands hovered beside the fire, soaking in the warmth as his fingers collected a smoky residue.

"Sounds alright to me." Hak leaned his back against the tree's withered trunk and closed his eyes, trying to shut it out. It seemed futile.

His nerves frayed as he folded his hands together and sighed in defeat. He could hardly muster composure when she was just feet away from him. It was a strange marvel, how an ex-general could unravel so easily from the presence of a small red headed princess. He'd had a lot of practice in pretending his feelings didn't exist, so much that he almost could believe it himself. But just from actually holding her and feeling the rise and fall of her chest against his, they were shoved back in his face stronger than ever. But they were only inconvenient, selfish feelings that would lead him nowhere. He knew that well enough.

"Hak?" Yona's voice came softly. Her hand rested against his arm and startled him. "Can you spar with me?" She motioned towards her wooden sword, sheathed and burrowed in the layers of blankets behind the open flap of her tent. It was a poor excuse, but it was all she could manage just to talk to him. "For practice."

"I think you're good enough, already. You don't need me anymore." Hak lifted off the ground dismissively, and dug his hands into his pockets. "If you really want to, go practice with Shin-Ah." He felt pathetic. Glancing back at Yoon, he gestured off towards the thicket of ferns lining the backdrop. "I'm going to scope out the area."

Yona opened her mouth to say something but slammed it shut, as he disappeared through the woods. Several prying eyes averted themselves as she glanced back, and Shin-Ah shook his head silently as he stroked Ao's head. She sighed disappointedly and trudged back towards her tent. Jae-Ha raised a suspicious brow and squinted his eyes in both of their directions. There was definitely something going on. With a cunning grin, he took off after Hak. His legs propelled him from the ground and shook the bed of leaves beneath them, as his outline grew thinner in the air the farther he went. He scrutinized the treetops, and spotted a dark figure through a small copse scattered with blossoms, wild grass, and copious sources of spring water.

Hak leaned down and reached his hands into the icy water, as it trickled out from a crevice in the stones. He pulled it to his lips and paused when he heard a voice from behind him. Droplets dribbled down his wrists as he turned back to identify it.

"So what exactly happened between you two?" Jae-Ha landed swiftly, and leaned onto Hak's shoulder with a coy smile. Jae-Ha always had a keen sense on how to read a room from as far back as he could remember. Being perceptive gave you an outside look to the world around you, and Jae-Ha used it to his advantage. It always felt like he was the member of an audience to a show being put on, and that had its entertaining moments. The excitement that went on between his traveling companions in particular never failed to amuse him, especially between the escaped princess and the Thunder Beast of Kouka.

"Nothing happened." Hak shook him off and grimaced. The last person he wanted to see was this guy. Droopy Eyes always seemed to put salt in wounds that were already festering.

"Is that why you're avoiding her so obviously? It's rather childish. I feel sorry for your poor beloved Yona-chan." Jae-Ha grinned and leaned back against the rock face, letting the running water spit through his fingers. It nipped and bit at the hairs on his hand, as the skin gradually turned a bright raw crimson from the cold. Drawing his fingers back, he sucked at the dripping moisture, and stared back towards the camp. "It almost hurts watching you drag your feet. If you don't make a move already, I'll steal her from you."

Hak froze up, flushed and nervous, and a jolt ran down Jae-Ha's spine. It was supposed to be all fun and games, but he was ashamed to admit that he'd developed a little bit of a soft spot for the princess. In fact, it wasn't little. Actually, it was pretty big, and there was nothing soft about it. It would prick him in the heart like tiny needles every time he would see her brazenly shooting her arrow or unsheathing her sword, and it also came like a brick when he saw her together whispering alone to the tall black haired man decked in grey and blue overcoats. There was electricity between Hak and Yona that they didn't even notice themselves. But Jae-Ha noticed. That was one of the downsides to his keen sense, he supposed. He could blame his dragon's blood for what he felt towards Yona as much as he could, but he knew it was more than that. Pushing the feeling down, he forced out a grin, and glanced down to the water to see if his reflection looked natural.

"Oh, that's what this is. You did make a move. How sly." Jae-Ha laughed, and splashed him. "I'm impressed." The water trailed off of Hak's face, but the black haired man hardly noticed. He stared lifelessly at the glittering sparks of light bouncing off the water's edge. It looked like scraps of tinsel. Jae-Ha frowned "What's the matter with you? Isn't this good?"

"There's nothing good about it." A shadow clouded his expression that Jae-Ha had seen only several times before in all the time he had known the Thunder Beast. It almost made him flinch. It was a look that came when Hak recalled the darkness of his past, a past he had sworn not to forget. But it seemed like it was slipping away from him, the closer he grew to Yona. It was a betrayal to the king he once served, and an injustice to the princess as well. He'd gotten too greedy.

"You know, I wasn't kidding when I said I would steal her away," Jae-Ha murmured. "I'm serious about her." Hak clenched his jaw as Jae-Ha spun on his heels and hopped off, humming as he went. Lifting his hand, he waved lazily, as he readied himself to leap. "Just remember. If you don't make her happy, I will." And with that, he was gone.

Hak slammed his fist against the rock surface, and furrowed his brow, as frustration gnawed at him. "How can I possibly make her happy?"

With a sigh, he plodded further within the forest. He walked far out through the coppice for so long he lost track of time, slashing trees along his way as trail markers. He'd scoured nearly every edge of the woods, and found a dirt path that led to the village. The sound of voices immediately caught his attention, and he bowed his head and left his blade hidden close behind so he wouldn't stand out. There were villagers scattered everywhere, but a group huddled close together by the waterside, muttering to each other in fear. Small boat canals had been constructed recently for safe transport of goods and people, and it had built hype among the townspeople. But bandits who had already been stealing from the people had gone to the water and begun hijacking boats and merchandise. Soldiers patrolled the area, but they were easily paid off. Most of the village's resources were starting to run out. Yoon hadn't been the only one keeping track of the situation. Hak knew it was just a matter of time before the villagers were bled dry. He groaned. It looked like there really was little choice but to intervene.

"What's going on?" he asked, pushing through to the center. He had a good idea.

"They're coming tomorrow," a young woman sputtered, and covered her face. "What are we going to do? They'll take everything." Noticing him, she clammed up, and looked away anxiously.

"Who are 'they?'" he pressed further, fishing for more information. Yoon knew a good deal already, but he still hadn't managed to take any names. All the townspeople veered away from specifics. They all seemed terror-stricken. Hak doubted he'd have more luck, but it was worth a shot.

"Bandits," a man with auburn hair and spectacles mentioned vaguely. Hak rolled out the kinks in his shoulders, and sighed. That was usually where they stopped talking. He opened his mouth to try a different tactic to get a different answer, but he didn't have to. The man started talking himself. "They call themselves the Dark Dragon and the Happy Hungry Bunch." Hak's face fell. "It sounds ridiculous, but they're really not to be trifled with. Those men are merciless."

"Shut your mouth," a younger man barked, as he slicked back his black hair nervously, peeling off the sweat damped strands that had plied themselves to his forehead.

"I've already said too much," the first man trailed off and folded his shaking hands together. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "We can't talk about them to outsiders. Leave while you still can. You don't know what they could do to you."

The words stuck with Hak as he walked back to camp. The sky faded from blue to grey charcoal tones before he even remembered to look up. It was unusual. Yona and their group had called themselves the Happy Hungry Bunch once before when they had acted as bandits within the Fire Tribe's territory. It didn't change anything, but he wondered why an unfamiliar group of bandits would've adopted their old nickname. He'd seen the members a couple of times with Yoon, but he didn't recognize any of their men, and he didn't see much merit to posing as a preexisting group of bandits. It might have been to boost reputation, considering how Yona and the gang had hit village after village, eradicating corruption hidden behind the veil of infamy. His brows knitted as he stepped back into the camp. Yoon cleaned up finished plates with a rag, and Shin-Ah silently kept watch. Zeno and the rest were causing a ruckus as usual, but they were so far away, their voices blended with the babble of crickets. He looked around and frowned.

"Where is the princess?"

Yoon looked at him suspiciously for a second and then returned to what he was doing. "She's in her tent. She's asleep. Eat something." He leaned back and scooped a spoonful of beans out of a boiling pot, and it slid into a messy slop in his wooden bowl. Hak stared at the tent opening, and Yoon rolled his eyes. "Leave her be. She's been training nonstop on her own all day for tomorrow, since someone wouldn't help her. It wore her out. So, don't bother her."

"I wasn't planning on it." Hak shrugged, and sat down, throwing back the soup. The silence ate away at the air between them.

"You know, I may be a pretty boy, but I'm also pretty perceptive." He swiped the moistened cloth across the last dish, and narrowed his eyes. "I don't care what you do, but it better not have a bad impact on this group." A cry echoed from between the trees, and Yoon slapped his tools against the ground. "I'm going to tell those idiots to keep it down."

Hak watched Yoon disappear through the shrubbery and lifted off the ground. He parted the cloth of Yona's tent, and poked his head through. Her small shivering frame was slumped beneath a thin sheet. He tilted his head to the side for a moment, and went back to grab a thicker blanket. Settling to his knees, he carefully threaded inside around her trembling body, and draped the woolen fabric over her side. He tucked the edges beneath her and the quakes that ran down her spine gradually dwindled. Admiring her face, he noticed the slightest quiver in her eyelashes. He ran his finger gently against them, and smiled. It was a relief to see her sleeping so peacefully. It reminded him of when she was a kid, and she'd slept beside him when the three of them had all caught a fever. Those days seemed so long ago now. He'd snuck a kiss then, too.

Leaning down, his lips brushed against hers. The second passed, and he drew away. Pushing through the opening of the tent, Hak stepped out. He sighed and sat a moment, sucking back air. He felt even more pathetic.

Yona stared at the ceiling of the tent after she watched him leave. Pressing her fingers to her lips, she traced the edges. Clenching her fist, she flipped to her other side and waited for sleep to come. It didn't.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Hello, all! It's been so nice seeing more Hak x Yona fics pop up. Hope you dig the new chapter. There are some references to characters from the Kum-Ji arc.

Why? The question dogged at her brain and left her tossing and turning half the night. She thought she had an idea why, but she was afraid of how well she'd be able to recover if she was wrong. She'd already had her heart broken before, by a man she loved and trusted. Soo-Won's face flashed in the grain of night, and she blinked hard until the afterimage dissolved into black. Whether or not she was right, it hardly mattered. Even if they were somehow able to find happiness together, that happiness came at a price. Its very source was tainted. Her father was dead and Hak had lost both his family and reputation. Every new feeling that had bubbled up inside her chest was stained with the darkness of her past. Indulging in even the littlest pleasures by simply being beside him and feeling the heat of his skin made guilt pool through her stomach.

The sun rose over the distant mountaintops sleepily, creeping up from behind a shroud of clouds inch by inch. Snow dusted peaks and sloping valleys kissed the waking sky. Her eyes squinted to adjust to the new light seeping through the crack in her tent door, as birdsong welcomed the day. Her brow furrowed as she pushed up onto her knees, and threw open the flaps, breathing in the misty air.

She glanced at the blade that Jae-Ha had given her, tucked away in a soft burrow of woolen sheets. A sparrow lit on the ground and gazed upon her curiously with two brown beady eyes as she carefully unsheathed the weapon. Its glossy silver surface glinted against the glare of the sun. The bird took off to find another perch in the trees, and she set the dagger down to watch its path as it flew. Any other morning like this would've seemed peaceful and average, but today would most likely bring battle and bloodshed. She could feel the weight in her head from what little rest she had. Her fingers drew small circles around her temples in fruitless attempts to rub it away. It did her little good.

Slipping the weapon beneath her garments, she stepped outside. The group hunched around the remnants of their campfire, slurping at a broth Yoon concocted from bark and herbs that he'd found combing the woods. She grabbed her own serving and sat silently beside them. Her eyes ached to meet with Hak's, but she fought the urge. Today, she needed to focus on the task at hand. No matter how many groups of bandits she'd encountered before, she never grew used to it. Most of the outlaws she'd seen on the road were townsfolk who had turned to crime just to survive. They were starving and disgruntled men, which made them unpredictable and dangerous. It was always a risk to take them lightly.

"Eat as much as you can," Yoon muttered. "You'll need your strength."

The sky grew overcast with the changing mood of the camp. Flimsy shadows danced across the dusty ground, broken up by the fragmented rays of sunlight that fought through the dark grey mass of clouds gathered above. Zeno smiled solemnly, as his gaze scanned the rest of the group and landed on Yona. "I guess it's time, Miss."

"Already?" Jae-Ha grinned mischievously, stroking the side of a blade he'd drawn from his pocket. Kija shifted in his seat and cradled his claw, ogling the distance distractedly as he fought the persistent pull of sleep. The green haired man nudged him with a sharp elbow, and he jumped in place with a startled yelp. "Fun." His snicker cut through the heavy atmosphere.

"Shall we?" Hak's voice rumbled, as she looked up. His hand was outstretched towards hers, a half amused smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. Gripping his hand, she pushed off to her feet, and stared determinedly at the rest of the group.

"Let's go," she stated.

Then, her gaze crossed paths with his once more. Her blood boiled, as their eyes locked. His fingers lingered against her skin, trying to keep that warmth embedded in his memory. But the moment ended, as he turned away and treaded through the thickets of wild grass clumped across the earth. She watched his broad back sway with each step as she followed, and her eyes trailed down his arms. They were thick and muscular, blemished with old scars from the battles they had fought together, and some from even before that. And for a split second, she wanted to be wrapped in those arms, to be touched again. It was as if when he held her, there was nothing that could harm her. The rest of the world seemed to just melt away. Ignoring the selfish thought, she pressed forward.

"They're close," Shin-Ah murmured.

The group gathered in a corner of the forest overgrown with brush, more than enough to cover them from plain sight. The thud of boots hitting the dust grew louder as a group of men approached. At first glance, most of them looked older, wrinkles lining their foreheads and streaks of grey tangled in matted heads of hair. But on closer look, Yona could tell they were young, and worn down only from circumstances. She sighed soberly, and tugged forward the hood of her cloak to hide her face.

Abruptly, the group stopped in their tracks as they spied the small girl blocking the middle of the road.

"Where do you brats think you're going?" Her voice boomed across the clearing, and the rest of the team joined behind her. She set her hand on her hips as the group of bandits stood in place.

The sound of laughter stirred from the back of the group. A man with long black hair pushed through to the front of the crowd, a sneering grin stretched from ear to ear. "That red hair. Could it be?" He staggered forward and squinted his eyes at her. "It must be. I'd never forget that face. The little pirate girl." He extended a bony finger towards her. "Remember me?"

She cocked her head to the side and thought for a long moment. "Um, no. Sorry." Hak stifled a chuckle with the back of his hand as the man's face twisted with anger, his face blooming crimson.

"My name is Min-Sik. Maybe this might ring a bell." He lifted his arm and pulled back his sleeve to show a scar etched in the skin. It looked like teeth marks. Her teeth marks. "I was one of Kum-Ji's mercenaries, before you went and killed him. It's a little hard to find work when there are rumors flying around that a little girl and a gang of fishermen playing pirate took us down. Shouldn't you take some responsibility for that?" Yona stayed silent, and he took that as his cue to keep going. "You know, there are other rumors going around too. That there is this strange group of bandits that goes around helping people. And, what do you know? Their leader is a red headed little girl." He laughed but it only lasted a second before his voice turned sour. "I heard it a while back, but I've been keeping tabs on you ever since. I knew if I rallied some of my pals and made a little noise, you'd show up eventually."

The look in his bloodshot eyes was so vicious and glazed, that she stiffened.

"A lot of time on your hands, isn't there?" Hak raised an eyebrow. He set a hand on Yona's tensed shoulder, and she relaxed.

"This guy just won't stop talking," Jae-Ha replied, and rolled his eyes, faking a yawn. Then, a grin quickly broke on his face, and he pulled a pair of blades out of his robes. "Let's just get this over with, shall we?"

"Guess we should," Yona stated, and rested her hands on her hips. She regained her sense of composure and tried to embody Gi-Gan. "These small-fry have tested enough of my patience."

"What the hell did you say?" Min-Sik snarled as he balled his fists. "Kill that bitch!" He roared, and the rest of his men ran forward with knives and swords drawn.

Yona didn't waver, and she stood tall. Both Hak and Kija's eyes flared, as their knuckles clenched tightly, veins bulged from the skin.

"No one talks that way to the princess," Kija growled. He flew forward with his claws bared, and cut down several of the men that crossed his path. The others followed suit.

"Come on." Yoon tugged at Yona's hand and silently gestured her over to a cluster of shrubs away from the action. She hesitated, and Yoon followed her gaze down to her blade she kept tucked away. He shook his head. "That's a last resort. I need you to be safe." She bowed her head and followed him, still keeping the weapon at arm's reach. But she knew Yoon was right. She would be more useful with a bow and arrow out of sight, than charging out into the middle of things with just a dagger and the hope that the experience she had garnered would last her through the battle.

She and Yoon shuttled towards the foliage, but Min-Sik caught the sight of them. The rest of the group fought off the bandits, as they came from all sides. Hak was beginning to recognize faces that he had fought when the pirates had taken down Kum-Ji.

He turned to keep Yona in his line of sight when he noticed Min-Sik approaching swiftly, swinging back his sword. For a moment, time seemed to slow and Hak heard his heart beat in his ears. He thrust his body in front of her and took the brunt force of the blade. Hissing a curse quietly under his breath with a breathy laugh, he pushed back the assailant and let his narrowed eyes wash over the bandit. Rage sloshed in the pit of Hak's stomach but his smile didn't falter, as he struck Min-Sik to the ground, pressing the sharp edge of his weapon close to the man's throat.

Jae-Ha, Kija, and Shin-Ah had quickly taken care of the other members of the bandit group. They turned to see Hak standing over Min-Sik's body.

"What were you going to do?" Hak's voice was menacing. "Tell me."

"I-I'm sorry. Please don't kill me," Min-Sik forced out. "Do you know what it's like to have your reputation soiled? To have people turn up their noses at you while you're struggling just to survive?"

"So that's why you called yourselves the Happy Hungry Bunch. To soil our reputation?" He turned his head towards Yona. Reputation meant little to him. He was known as a traitor and a criminal throughout most of the kingdom. His good name had little worth. But he wouldn't turn a blind eye to anyone who would try to tarnish hers. And he definitely wouldn't let anyone who tried to hurt his princess walk free. "That wasn't smart." He tightened his hands on his weapon and drew it back slowly to strike the final blow, as Min-Sik cringed in terror.

A hand settled on his shoulder, and he turned to see Yona. "Stop, Hak." Staring down at the trembling bandit, she folded her arms carefully. He looked like so many of the other young men she'd encountered on the streets. Angry, run down, and scared. Behind that rage and resentment, was simply fear. "I'm giving you one chance. Leave. Go as far as you can, and don't come back." She paused a moment, as Hak reluctantly sheathed his blade and the man skittered out from underneath him. "But if hear that you're harassing the townspeople again, next time, I won't be so generous. Remember that." She turned and pressed through the clearing. "Come on, you brats!"

Zeno smiled proudly and Jae-Ha stood stunned for a minute. "She really gets into character, doesn't she?"

Hak watched as the rest of the men scrambled back through the forest and looked back at Yona. At first glance, she looked so small and fragile, but her strength surpassed any other. He pressed forward to see her turn herself and walk towards him. He grinned and prepared a witty quip, but a sharp pain suddenly stung in his side, and he began to feel a little light headed. Pressing his palm against the root of the pain, he felt dampness in the cloth of his coat. Removing his hand, he noticed the blood, and he wasn't the only one.

Yona grabbed his hand, and examined the stains somberly. "I knew you were hurt." The others approached, and she waved over Yoon with a frustrated grimace. "He got injured," she forced the next words out through gritted teeth, "when he was protecting me."

Yoon sat him down on a broken stump and pulled a kit out of his pack. "Alright, let's see. Take it off." He gestured towards Hak's clothing with a small concentrated frown.

"Sorry, I don't swing that way," Hak muttered breathily, as he leaned over his knees.

Yoon rolled his eyes, and peeled the moist cloth off the open sore. Hak winced, and watched Yoon examine the wound with a sigh. "You're too reckless." Cleaning the skin, he applied ointment to the gash to curb any infection, and dressed it properly with a long strip of white cloth. Yona bit her lip and watched in agitation.

She felt useless and she hated it. Clutching the dagger in her robes tightly, her face heated up. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, as she gripped the handle of the weapon. She hadn't even had the courage to use it. Maybe if she had, he wouldn't have been hurt. She was a burden once again. Her nails dug hard into her palms as she stared holes through feet.

"You're good to go. Try taking it easy for a little bit," Yoon patted him on the knee, and glanced at Yona. Reading her expression, he frowned and waved the rest of the dragons forward. "I'd give them a minute."

"Why should I leave her alone with that brute-" Ki-Ja started, interrupted by Jae-Ha's hand as he dragged him back to camp. Shin-Ah silently patted Ao as he treaded on.

Hak stood up to follow, but Yona stopped him, setting a hand on his back. "I'm sorry." Her hand trailed down tenderly to his side, and she buried her head in his bare skin. "This is my fault." Her breath tickled his spine, sending currents through his veins. He turned to face her, and gingerly cupped her cheek. She leaned into his strong palms and tilted her face upward to look at him. Her beautiful lilac eyes were clouded with guilt and blame. "Does it hurt?"

"Not really," he murmured. "Not as much as the thought of losing you."

They held each other's gaze for a moment, and any part of him that wanted to resist seemed shelved away in a numbed corner of his brain, as he let himself get lost in those shimmering pools of violet. She closed her eyes in an invitation. Without thinking, he leaned down slowly, and languidly pressed his lips against hers. Yona wrapped her arms around his shoulders. For that moment, all she wanted was him. Their lips meshed together but the kiss was still slow and gentle, like she was something fragile. He had kissed her like that before, too. Furrowing her brows, she pulled him closer. She didn't want Hak to worry about breaking her. She bit his lower lip, and he groaned, running his fingers through her hair. He cocked an eyebrow in amusement as he saw her desperation, and grinned, slowing down even more. The deliberate movements seemed taunting, as he left her aching for more.

Yona drowned in the heat of his chest as her legs trembled. He parted from her lips to admire them, two damp, pliant cherries, as his breath grew haggard and shallow. She felt his teeth graze against the crook of her neck, and his breath curled against her skin. Shivers sent goose pimples along her body, and a quiet gasp escaped from her lips. He peppered kisses along her shoulder. Her body went limp in his arms, and they tangled together on the forest floor. She could hardly tell where she ended and he began. Tentative fingers traced down his side, feeling the contours of his bare skin, and his tongue brushed against her teeth.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Hak's side. "Ow, ow." He pulled away and clutched his bandaged side. "Time out."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Yona said, startled.

They both laughed, and everything else in the world seemed suddenly insignificant.

Hak stood up and brushed the dust off his knees. "We should head back."

"Yeah, they're probably waiting for us," Yona mumbled awkwardly, as Hak went on ahead. She pressed forward towards him, and hesitantly took his hand, intertwining their fingers. She held her breath for a second, afraid he would shake her off, but they kept walking silently.

And for that second, she didn't mind if her happiness was stained.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **It's spring break, and you know what that means. Sleeping in and writing fanfiction. What could be sweeter? Happy Easter, everybody!

Night descended on the forest.

Hak felt Yona's fingers tangled in his, and he squeezed to make sure she was there, that this wasn't all some pathetic fantasy. She squeezed back. He felt like his heart was about to burst from his ribcage. His nerves were so on edge that it was embarrassing. But still he tried not to let it show, and to maintain the same cool mask that the redheaded princess always somehow managed to poke holes through. Blocking out the glare of sunlight with the back of his free hand, he avoided saying anything that might shatter the façade, and pressed forward in silence. Yona sighed as they both approached camp. She wished that time would stop, and they could hold onto this moment a little longer. But it was too surreal to last. Hak spotted several heads around the campfire up ahead.

"What on earth took you so long?" Ki-Ja's voice erupted.

The sound made Yona flinch, and she let go abruptly. The cold air hit hard against the skin of his hand. He drew away awkwardly and scratched the back of his head. The fantasy was over.

Jae-Ha cocked an eyebrow as he watched them come through, and resisted the urge to make a snarky comment that would probably only thicken the tension. The atmosphere was already uncomfortable enough, and even he could barely stand it. By the looks of their mussed hair and messy clothing, Jae-Ha didn't even want to ask. More than that, he didn't want to know. A sharp twinge resonated in his chest, and he sighed. He hated this constant itchy feeling that seemed to permanently reside in his heart. It was exhausting beyond belief. Tossing a glance at Shin-Ah, he noticed that even the quiet dragon seemed a little shy looking at the two of them, in their own little world. A world that all but the Thunder Beast and his princess were barred to enter. Jae-Ha forced a smile, and wrapped an arm around Hak's shoulder.

"You look like you had a good time," he grinned, before an elbow found its way into his side. Groaning in pain, he keeled over and watched Hak lean down to warm his hands in the fire.

"We should move on," Yoon spoke up. "I've heard of a town nearby in the Water Tribe that's in need of medical supplies. I found some restorative herbs that we can offer." He rolled out the map, and pressed his finger on a small mountain range.

"I recognize that place!" Zeno clapped his hands cheerfully. "They hold a festival this time of year."

"Oh yeah, I've been there," Jae-Ha mused. Smiling at Hak, he winked. "The brothels are fantastic. If Yona-chan ever loosens the leash, you should come with me." Ki-Ja reddened, and Jae-Ha's grin doubled in size. "I love the women there." Another jab in the stomach left him wheezing, as he blew a kiss towards the former general. "Don't be jealous. I love you, too."

"It's alright, Hak." Yona's brows furrowed, as a cold wind blew through her. "If you really want to go, I won't stop you."

Hak grimaced. "That's fine. I'll pass." Glancing at Jae-Ha, he narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice. "Watch it, Droopy Eyes."

"Then, it's settled," Yoon stated, as he rolled up the map and pushed it back into his pack. "We should leave in the morning." He edged towards the fire, and watched as the pit spat out crackling embers. Yona also stood entranced by the patterns in the sky, etched in ashy grey clouds.

She spared a glance at Hak, veiled behind the thick screen of smoke. Where did this leave them? The vagueness left in the aftermath of their moment had her reeling. She barely had the confidence in the state of their relationship to be seen holding hands by Yoon and the other dragons. There were too many questions they'd have, that she didn't even have the answer to. Frowning, she tried to read Hak's expressions but got nothing. He mocked Ki-Ja with a sly grin and chewed on a leg of meat from an animal Yoon had trapped the other day. His smile sent butterflies through her stomach. Looking away quickly, she wrapped her arms around her shoulders to shield her skin from the cold. The crickets began to sing as the first star shone above the horizon. She examined her surroundings. Would normal people begin courtship at this point? But they were anything but normal. She gritted her teeth and remembered Min-Sik's sword plunging through Hak's shoulder. How could they possibly have a normal relationship? Her stomach closed up as fear took hold. She watched the fire hiss as it fizzled, fading to a dim glow.

"I'll go fetch more wood," Yona murmured.

"I'll come with-" Hak began.

"That's alright," she quickly interrupted. "Shin-Ah will accompany me." Turning to the silent dragon, she smiled. "Won't you?"

Shin-Ah hesitated momentarily but silently nodded, and relief pooled in her chest. He was always nice company when her heart was in turmoil. Shin-Ah was quiet, but he was also the kindest and gentlest soul she knew. Not to mention, he was a good listener. Walking towards the clearing to find wood, the two of them traipsed further into the distance.

"Looks like you've been rejected," Jae-Ha snickered. Zeno joined and laughed heartily, as Hak sighed.

It seemed that no matter how many times he almost seemed to have her in his grasp, she still was just out of reach. Rubbing his temples, he tried not to overthink it. He should've been enjoying it. For one moment, their feelings had been completely synced, and the rest of the world could have vanished and they wouldn't have noticed. The whole situation felt like some incredible dream, and he was still afraid he was about to wake up. He was almost certain that under different circumstances, their paths wouldn't have gone anywhere close to this direction. If she was still the spoiled princess that loved Soo-Won, he wouldn't have had half a chance. Hak's face contorted, and he remembered their last meeting and that fateful day at the palace. Soo-Won's actions had changed everything. The fact that Hak owed some of his current happiness to that traitor disgusted him.

A dark question still haunted the back of his brain, as he watched Yona's silhouette disappear. Hak's eyes glazed as he frowned and stared up at the abysmal hole of black staining the sky. He wondered if she still loved him.

Yona gathered a pile of twigs in her arms, as Shin-Ah picked up several hefty logs. A muffled howl sounded back in the woods, and she soaked in the crisp air. She smiled and added another piece of timber to her collection. "Thank you for coming with me."

Shin-Ah nodded softly. Ao circled his broad shoulders, and nestled besides the crook of his neck. Yona rubbed her shoulders again, to warm her skin. He fidgeted for a moment. Shrugging off his fur piece, he draped it over her shoulders, and stalked back to gather more wood.

"Thanks," she nodded. She noticed his ears were a bright red, and shuffled her feet. "You didn't happen to see us, did you?" He stared back nervously at the woody backdrop, and Yona knew the answer. "I thought so. Sorry about that." She pulled the edges of the white fur closer to her chest. Awkwardly, he responded with a noncommittal shrug, and she rested on a broken tree stump for a brief minute. "To be honest, I don't know what to do anymore. I've never had these sorts of feelings before. But I don't want to get distracted and be a burden." He shook his head to ease her of worry, and she giggled at his clumsy desperation, but that quickly faded to seriousness. "I'm afraid of losing him. Afraid of being this weak."

He held her hand gently, and shook his head once more. "You are not weak."

The words rung strong within her as they made their way back towards the camp, and she hoped that they were true. She wanted to be strong, for her people and for Hak. But it seemed little more than a childish wish. As she set down the branches she collected, Shin-Ah tossed a log into the fire to feed the flames. The glow bounced off of their heated cheeks, and her eyes searched for Hak's. He stared back, and the blaze cast dark shadows across his face. It sent shivers down her spine.

Yona bowed her head. "I'm going to retire for the night."

"Alright," Hak said and stood up, close on her tail.

The rest of the group eyed them suspiciously. Zeno broke their attention momentarily to demonstrate how far up his nose he could reach with his tongue. Yoon groaned in disgust and chucked another piece of wood into the fire.

"What are you doing?" Yona asked, just out of earshot. "You're coming in with me?"

"I am. For protection, obviously." He raised an eyebrow with an exasperated sigh. "We heard wild animals nearby. You'll have to deal with it. Sorry."

"I mean, I don't mind," she muttered quietly. Her ears were a bright red.

The two of them fell silent, and Hak became hyper aware of the fact that their relationship was now different. The changes weren't huge, but they were there, just beneath the surface. It was new and strange. Lifting the fabric of the tent for her, she slipped beneath and murmured a shy thank you. The door of the tent closed behind him and he edged towards her slowly. Tucking back a stray red hair, he leaned closer to her and pressed his lips against her ear. She shuddered at the sensation of his breath.

"Shall we pick up where we left off?" he whispered. Tenderly, he kissed her neck, and she felt the inside of her thighs tingle.

"Wait," she said, pushing him back hesitantly. Fiery ants crawled under her skin at his every touch. "What about everyone outside? Yoon and the rest?"

"What about them?" Hak replied apathetically, leaving trails of purple footprints along her shoulder with his tongue. He could feel her almost giving into pleasure. Almost.

Yona pushed him back again with a frown. "What about your injury?"

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me." He went back in, but was stopped before he even began by a small palm against his chest.

"Hak." He clicked his tongue and pouted. Yona looked away anxiously. She was afraid of what would happen if they continued down this path. It was so vague and unclear. She was tired of the constant ambiguity with Hak. The rest of her life was already clouded in uncertainty, and she wanted to be certain, if just of one thing. Biting her lip, she readied her heart to ask the question.

"Stingy." He returned to other side of the tent with a dispirited sigh.

"Hak," she repeated. "Do you like me?"

His eyes widened, as he stared back at her. The thud of her heart reached her ears, and she realized how terrified she was to hear the answer. When Soo-Won had left her world in shambles, Yona was sure she would never love again. Nothing could come from love but pain. That day in the woods where she had encountered him brought back that pain, just as fresh and raw as when she'd first witnessed her father bleeding on the palace floor. Soo-Won had broken her heart beyond recognition, and left it a twisted and empty shell. But it was Hak that always pumped warmth back into her body, and brought her back to life. She looked deeply into his grey eyes, and it hit hard. She loved him. She loved him so much; it made her want to cry.

"I-" he started, flabbergasted. Her straight-forwardness always took him off guard. He struggled with his words, and scratched the back of his shoulder blades. Avoiding eye contact, he stared at a spot on the tent wall, whistling through his teeth. "I guess you're alright."

She sighed and stared him down for a long second. Finally, she lay down on her side facing away from him. "Good night then. Have fun at the brothel." She felt his lips graze her cheek, pressing soft kisses along the nape of her neck slyly. Half-heartedly, Yona swatted him away, but he found her collarbone with his teeth. A moan slipped from her lips before she could stop herself. She didn't even need to see his face to know he was grinning.

"What about you, then?" Hak muttered. "Do you like me?" His fingers slipped beneath her cloaks and traced the creamy white valley of skin.

"I guess you're alright." Yona rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the pull of his touch. But everything in her being was longing for another mind-numbing kiss. A soft whimper escaped her mouth as his hands continued to move lower, teasing and gentle. Hak suddenly stopped and lifted his head. His eyes narrowed.

Reaching for the tent flap, he groaned. "I'll be right back." She looked up confusedly. He walked out brusquely, and the group huddled close by outside tumbled over comically like dominos. Dragging each of the dragons back to the campfire, Hak's face grew increasingly menacing. "How much did you hear?"

"What do you mean?" Jae-Ha smiled unassumingly. "I don't know why you stopped."

"Congratulations, mister!" Zeno beamed brightly. Ki-Ja sniffled as he held back heartbroken tears. Shin-Ah blushed and patted Ao to soothe himself. The heat rushed into Hak's cheeks, as he tried to maintain some semblance of composure.

He groaned and rubbed his eyes, cursing himself for not catching them earlier. His senses seemed to dull when he was with Yona. She drowned out everything and anything else in the world. His feelings for her were so intense; they were starting to seriously scare him. The group dispersed as Yoon woke up from the noise and brought on the wrath of a pretty boy. Hak stood outside to catch his breath. Cool air blasted his face in an icy gust, shaking the treetops. Stars freckled the sky, and the moon peeked from behind a thick cloud cover, bathing the camp in a milky glow. It was beautiful. He wasn't used to being this happy, and something deep in the corner of his brain told him to enjoy it while it lasted. The image of the former king wavered in his head like a cruel reminder. A pang stung in the pit of his stomach. Shaking off the feeling, he slipped back into the tent.

"Sorry about that," Hak said, as he pulled the fabric back to a close. "Now, where were we?" He trailed off as he noticed Yona bundled up, softly snoring. He fought off the momentary disappointment and smiled with a chuckle. Stroking her hair, he leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Good night, princess."

Settling himself beside her, he bumped into something. A satchel knocked over and spilled its contents. Glancing at it with a raised eyebrow, he knew it was Yona's. She'd been gifted a hand-woven bag at the last town they'd visited, and started carrying some of her things within it. But how was it humanly possible to have this much stuff? Hak rubbed his hands together and began to clean the mess up. Stuffing everything back inside, he laughed at what he saw. There were many silly souvenirs she'd acquired from grateful townspeople, and snacks for the long trip tomorrow. With a snort, he pushed back the items, and saw a wooden box left ajar by the impact. He froze. Shadows danced across his face as he saw the hairpin. Pushing the pin back in the box, he snapped it close and slipped it back into the bag. Staring blankly at the floor, he exhaled. This happiness seemed so fragile and fleeting. Laying down, he wrapped his arms around Yona. Eventually, he would have to open his eyes and wake up from the dream.

But for now, he would keep them closed.


End file.
